In general, for each of arbitrary articles and objects, there is widely used a so-called RF tag which incorporates an IC chip to store predetermined information concerning the articles and objects in a readable and writable manner. The RF tag is also called an RFID (radio frequency identification) tag, an IC tag, a contactless tag or the like, and is a micromini communication terminal provided by forming, into a tag (a label) shape, a so-called inlay (an inlet) which has an electronic circuit including an IC chip and a wireless antennal sealed by or coated with a base material such as a resin film. Thus, the communication terminal is configured to wirelessly enable a read-only operation, a write-once operation and a read/write operation of predetermined information from/to the IC chip in the tag by using a reader/writer.
Afterward, the RF tag including the predetermined information is attached to each of the arbitrary articles and objects, the information recorded in the RF tag is picked up by the reader/writer, and then the information recorded in the tag can be recognized, output, displayed and updated as the predetermined information concerning each of the attached articles and the like.
Such an RF tag enables recording data of hundreds of bits to kilos of bits in a memory of the IC chip, and thus a sufficient information amount of the information can be recorded as the information concerning each of the articles and the like. In addition, since communication can be performed in a contactless manner on the reader/writer side, there are not worries about abrasion of a contact, scratches, contamination and the like, and moreover, since a power supply to the tag itself is unnecessary, the tag can be processed, miniaturized and thinned in conformity to a shape and size of the objects to be used.
When such an RF tag is used, there can be recorded various pieces of information concerning each of the articles to which the tag is attached, e.g., a name, an identification symbol, contents, components, an administrator, a user, or a use state and a use situation of the article. Thus, the various pieces of information of such a great amount as to be impossible by characters and a barcode printed and displayed on a label surface can be correctly read or written by only attaching the miniaturized/thinned tag to each of the articles.
Here, as such an RF tag, an RF tag which is called a general-purpose inlay (an inlet) and has an IC chip and an antenna just coated with a film is widely used. This type of inlay is small and thin, it can be easily attached to any object without taking up a space and immediately used as the RF tag, and hence it has widely spread in recent years.
However, such a general-purpose inlay has the IC chip and the antenna simply coated with a film, and hence it can be a cause of a failure, a malfunction, fracture, and others as it is when impact or the like is applied from the outside. For example, a freight pallet or container is constantly subject to physical/mechanical external force/impact, and there is a possibility that the RF tag attached to such an object for use easily fails/fractures if it remains in an inlay state.
Thus, as to the RF tag used in an environment where such external force is readily applied, the general-purpose inlay is housed in a predetermined cover, case, or housing to protect the inlay from the physical/mechanical impact or the like.
For example, Patent Literature 1 suggests an RFID tag in which a general-purpose inlay is held in a protective metal plate having a U-shape cross section for protection.
Further, Patent Literature 2 suggests an RFID tag in which a general-purpose inlay sealed by a non-conductive material is embedded in a hollow slot of a metal holder.
When the general-purpose inlay is housed/sealed in the protective plate or the holder, the inlay can be protected from the surrounding environment, and the inlay can be protected so that it can be prevented from, e.g., easily failing/fracturing due to the physical/mechanical external force, impact, collision, or the like applied from the outside in particular.